


A Historic Fourth of July

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [224]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:30:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4259967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Independence Day in Alder Run.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Historic Fourth of July

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elayna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elayna/gifts).



> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For  
> My beta team: Emila-Wan and Carol  
> Mali Wane for posting to the Master Apprentice ML  
> Travis for posting to the Master Apprentice Archive on AO3  
> Alex for inspiring Arcadia
> 
> References:  
> [Blue supergiant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_supergiant)
> 
> The Fourth of July in Arcadia:  
> 2004 -- [Independence Day: Let Freedom Ring](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1798048)  
> 2005 -- [Declaration of Independence](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1819468)  
> 2006 -- [Meditations on Freedom](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1907862)  
> 2007 -- [An Arcadian Picnic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1953027)  
> 2008 -- [A Dazzling Display](http://www.masterapprentice.org/archive/1/127dazzlingdisplay.html)  
> 2009 -- [Fourth and Maine](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4260111)  
> 2010 -- [Two Hundred and Counting](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4312143)  
> 2011 -- [Independence Day at Lake Saasta](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4366031)  
> 2012 -- [Wool-gathering in Stratford](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4388408)  
> 2013 -- [Independence Day in June](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4397081)  
> 2014 -- [The Porch of July](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1952985)

  
  
[Helen](mailto:hsv@comcast.net)'s marvelous montage  


"Got ya!" Han shouted happily, after leaping down from the lowest branch of an oak tree and pointing his Super-Soaker right at Ian. Han unleashed the force of a stream of water from his water pistol, right at Ian's stomach.

Yes, Han shot first.

But while he was crowing over his success, Lelia snuck up on Han from behind a pine tree and sprayed water all over him. She hooted in delight at the dazed look on Han's face.

They were playing in the Alder Run back yard on a warm Fourth of July evening. The holiday had fallen on a Saturday this year, which made it easier for the whole family to get together to celebrate. They had just finished their barbecue, and the children were impatiently waiting for the town's fireworks to start. Han had gotten water pistols from the garage and filled them with the garden hose, then tried to convince someone to play with him.

Han had few takers, however; the adults were still digesting their dinner, after the kids had taken the trash to the curb. Their picnic had been truly delectable this year: Quinn's famous 'Master Burgers'; Ian's delicious hot dogs; Kathy's secret-recipe potato salad; Ginny's dark-chocolate brownies; Monty's avocado cornbread; and many more delicacies. Whether sprawled on the grass on blankets or still sitting at the picnic table, most of them didn't seem inclined to move anytime soon.

Luckily, Uncle Wan had been happy to play with the children, and Quinn was enjoying the benefits of his wet t-shirt as a result. Of course, he kept his reaction to himself, and when Ian went into the house to change, Quinn waited a discreet few minutes to go indoors, taking the ketchup and mustard inside with him, in case anyone got ideas.

Just as Quinn had hoped, Ian was still in his Skyhawks tee when Quinn walked into the bedroom. You might even think Ian had been waiting for him. Quinn locked the door with a crooked grin, to which the only possible answer was Ian's knowing smile.

Ian's shirt was clinging to him as if it didn't want to let go. Funny how Quinn's mouth went dry, considering the wet and wild vision in front of him.

Just at that moment, Quinn heard a piercing laugh from Lelia, which brought him to his senses. Their whole family was right outside the back door, waiting for their hosts as well as the fireworks. Fireworks indoors were not an option right now.

Could Quinn wait the half an hour it was sure to take for them to end and their guests to go home?

Luckily, they hadn't even touched yet, which made things considerably easier. Thinking literally on his feet, Quinn walked over to the dresser, grabbed one of Ian's loose t-shirts, and threw it to his lad. Ian gave him a snort in return, knowing exactly why Quinn had gone quarterback on him.

"I'm flattered to be your tight end," Ian teased, and indeed he was. Twelve years after they'd met, and his seductive powers had decreased not one jot. Since he could feel Quinn's heat, even from a distance, Ian took his shirt off without making a striptease out of it...

...so Quinn was able to get a glimpse of bare chest and stomach, just as tantalizing as they had looked under Ian's wet t-shirt, especially when Ian rubbed his skin dry with the back of his shirt, which had remained dry throughout his Super-Soaking. Fortunately for Quinn, Ian could read his mind and took action quickly.

He put on the fresh shirt Quinn had thrown at him in the time it took his husband to blink. Crisis averted, for now! He could almost hear Quinn's inner sigh of relief, not to mention a countervailing sigh of disappointment, when he was fully dressed once more.

Now that it was safe to come close, Quinn strolled up to him and dropped a light kiss on flame-colored hair. "Ah, laddie, what you do to me." Quinn sighed into the silken strands.

"Glad to hear it," Ian murmured, reaching up for a quick kiss. "We'd better get back to the party."

This time, Quinn's sigh was audible and blended with his husband's. "Guess so," he said wistfully, knowing Ian could still convince him otherwise. He scratched a mosquito bite on his upper arm, actually glad for the distraction.

And Ian knew that they were still not out of the woods, so he gave a tug to Quinn's arm to propel him to the door, which Quinn unlocked with a grunt. They walked out of the bedroom, with its tempting privacy, and almost shivered when they crossed into the hallway, where they could be seen by anyone.

Luckily, the whole sizzling interlude in the bedroom had taken less than five minutes, so nobody had missed them. The children had finally settled down onto a blanket, alongside the rest of the family, to watch the fireworks, which had just started in a blaze of red, white, and blue. Monty had the forethought to save Ian and Quinn's mugs of Guinness for them on the picnic table. Jo patted a blanket she had spread for her sons; they smiled at her as they threw themselves down on it, mugs by their sides, lying on their backs looking up at the starscape beckoning to them. Lelia and Han raised their toy lightsabers -- hers blue and his green -- in salute when the Roman candles were launched into the heavens.

Quinn searched the night sky for a constellation he and Ian had created on their own. The stars within it were so faint that he knew they had never before been named, though astronomers had assigned them numbers. L-1138 II was the central star, one of the class of OB blue supergiants, which seemed to be winking at Quinn. Their constellation looked like a swordsman with a cape, so of course they thought of it as the Jedi Knight. Ah, there he was in all of his glory, a blue sparkler providentially flaring right at the end of his sword-arm, where his hand would be.

Quinn reached out to touch Ian on his hand, then pointed at their constellation in delight. "They've got good aim this year," he whispered.

"Sure do," Ian said, then added, "Our constellation," with considerable satisfaction.

"All ours, laddie," Quinn echoed proudly.

This Independence Day was particularly momentous for them. Only eight days had passed since the Supreme Court legalized marriage equality for the whole USA, from sea to shining sea. This victory was both monumental and personal for Quinn and Ian; it continued to reverberate in their hearts, minds, and souls.

On their first July 4th together, in 2003, they had been legal strangers, despite having committed their lives to one another within days of their meeting. They'd never dared to think they would have the blessing of marriage.

By the Fourth of July in 2006, they were a newlywed couple, who got married in Massachusetts, the state where they fell in love. However, Ian's relatives were the only ones they felt comfortable enough to invite to the ceremony.

When July 4th, 2011 rolled around, New York State had recently approved equal marriage, and that August, they renewed their vows in their home state, with both sides of the family in joyous attendance.

Now they weren't just married in Massachusetts and New York. They were married.

Amazing to reflect how their relationship spanned this crucial time in United States history. It was the difference between nothing and everything for gay couples in love. For Quinn and Ian. The arcadia they had dreamed of had finally come true.

After they had said goodbye to their family and walked inside their home, careful not to disturb the sleeping puppies, there was a sense of freedom, like nothing they'd ever felt before. Somehow they made it to the bedroom without ripping each other's clothes off, but just barely. They toed off their sneakers first, since not remembering to do it had led to a lot of hilarity in the past, with crumpled-up pants that had no place to go, stymied by implacable shoes. Shirts, shorts, and shoes came off in a haphazard jumble that they narrowly avoided tripping over in their rush to jump into bed.

Both of them wore heather-grey briefs instead of their usual boxer-briefs, since it was so hot today. But they always chose guy-friendly underwear with center pouches, which let impatient erections escape from the opening with relative ease.

Ian lay back on his side of the bed with an anticipatory grin. "Why do I get the feeling the party has just started?" he asked.

"Because it has, laddie mine, because it has." Quinn gathered him into his arms as they lay side by side on the bed. "Ah, Ian, it's our 13th Independence Day together, and I feel more free than ever before." He gave his husband a tender kiss.

"Me, too," said Ian, nuzzling into Quinn's bare chest, his every breath a caress as it teased the hairs there. "Nothing like finally becoming equal citizens of our own country," he continued, voice rough with emotion.

Quinn petted him gently, until Ian was practically purring under the spell of his huge hand. He rumbled his love into Ian's hair, the messy copper strands tickling his nose. Quinn rubbed Ian's right arm appreciatively, noting the musculature his lad had sculpted by his work on the parallel bars, pommel horse, and still rings.

And Ian sighed appreciatively at Quinn's massage. "Feels so good, handsome." He returned the favor on Quinn's stomach, his fingertips writing a language of their own over Quinn's skin. And both of them understood that the principal word inscribed was 'love'. When his hand drifted over Quinn's belly, Ian let his fingers brush the waistband of Quinn's briefs every so often; he could feel the anticipation of a touch to his cock thrumming through his herven.

"Ah, lad, you're the purest temptation." Quinn swept a lock of Ian's hair off of his sweaty forehead, then kissed it and smiled when he realized that it was still slightly scented from the hickory smoke of their barbecue. "Just delicious," he whispered.

Ian gave a lingering lick to Quinn's nipple. "So's this," he drawled. He grinned when he felt Quinn shiver underneath him.

"Ready for a ride, my love?" Ian nodded eagerly, so Quinn pulled his meleth (love) on top of him with a grunt.

"I can see you're rising to the occasion," Ian quipped, loving the feel of Quinn's erection, which had powered through the slit in his briefs.

"Want you to feel me, laddie," Quinn rumbled, giving a wicked little thrust to punctuate his sentence.

"Ohhhh," Ian murmured. "I do."

Both of them burst out laughing at the wedding reference, what with such good timing for it. The good vibrations made them harden even more. Ian's cock came out to play now, too. They pressed into each other, savoring each place where their skin touched. Quinn groaned when Ian slid his erection alongside his own. No need for lube, with all of the natural lubrication their pre-come was giving them.

Quinn tried to catch Ian's lips for a kiss, a challenging maneuver when his lad was all over him.

"Something ya want?" asked Ian saucily.

"That I do," Quinn answered, and so saying, finally got his kiss. Ian's insouciant grin as he kissed Quinn was much tastier than the iced brownies Quinn had eaten earlier, and it gave him an even bigger rush.

No words after that; groans, growls, and grunts became their language, and they were as articulate with them as with their ordinary vocabulary. When Ian's hips made a truly spectacular move, that was it. Both of them came together in delicious gushes, shouting their joy into the summer night.

Their orgasms were wild and free, like the men themselves. It was Independence Day, indeed.


End file.
